Canada’s 7 Best Lounge Access Credit Cards
Last updated October 21, 2026
Best Lounge Access Credit Cards
An airport lounge turns waiting into something closer to rest: a quieter seat, free food and drinks, reliable Wi-Fi and, at some airports, a shower before a long flight. For most travellers, a credit card is the easiest way in.
Lounge perks are changing in 2027 on several of Canada’s premium cards, and our picks are written for both sides of those dates. Here are our picks for the best credit cards for lounge access in Canada.
Compare our picks
American Express Platinum Card
- Annual fee
- $799
- Welcome bonus
- 110,000 Membership Rewards points
- First-year value
- $1,581
- Top earn rate
- 2x Travel
American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card
- Annual fee
- $599
- Welcome bonus
- 85,000 Aeroplan points
- First-year value
- $789
- Top earn rate
- 3x Travel
TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card
- Annual fee
- $599
- Welcome bonus
- 100,000 Aeroplan points
- First-year value
- $701
- Top earn rate
- 2x Air Canada
Most Lounge Passes Without Amex
Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card
- Annual fee
- $599
- Welcome bonus
- 80,000 Scene+ points
- First-year value
- $451
- Top earn rate
- 6x Scene Plus Travel Portal
Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite +* Card
- Annual fee
- $150
- Welcome bonus
- 35,000 Scene+ points
- First-year value
- $600
- Top earn rate
- 3x Groceries
Tangerine® Rewards World Elite®* Mastercard®*
- Annual fee
- $120
- Welcome bonus
- 60,000 Scene+ points
- First-year value
- $780
- Top earn rate
- 1.5x 3 Categories of Your Choice
Business Platinum Card from American Express
- Annual fee
- $799
- Welcome bonus
- 130,000 Membership Rewards points
- First-year value
- $1,914
- Top earn rate
- 1.25x All Purchases
| Best for | Card | Annual fee | Welcome bonus | First-year value | Top earn rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Overall Lounge Access | American Express Platinum Card | $799 | 110,000 Membership Rewards points | $1,581 | 2x Travel |
| Best for Air Canada Flyers | American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card | $599 | 85,000 Aeroplan points | $789 | 3x Travel |
| Best Visa | TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card | $599 | 100,000 Aeroplan points | $701 | 2x Air Canada |
| Most Lounge Passes Without Amex | Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card | $599 | 80,000 Scene+ points | $451 | 6x Scene Plus Travel Portal |
| Best Mid-Fee | Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite +* Card | $150 | 35,000 Scene+ points | $600 | 3x Groceries |
| Best Low-Fee | Tangerine® Rewards World Elite®* Mastercard®* | $120 | 60,000 Scene+ points | $780 | 1.5x 3 Categories of Your Choice |
| Best Business | Business Platinum Card from American Express | $799 | 130,000 Membership Rewards points | $1,914 | 1.25x All Purchases |
Best Overall Lounge Access
First-year value
$1,581
Annual fee: $799
• Earn 80,000 points upon spending $10,000 in the first 3 months
• Plus, earn 30,000 points Upon making a purchase between months 15 and 17 of Cardmembership
Earning rates
Key perks
- $200 annual travel credit
- $200 annual dining credit
- $100 NEXUS credit
- Unlimited Priority Pass lounge access
- Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
- Platinum Concierge
Annual fee: $799
• Earn 80,000 points upon spending $10,000 in the first 3 months
• Plus, earn 30,000 points Upon making a purchase between months 15 and 17 of Cardmembership
Earning rates
Key perks
- $200 annual travel credit
- $200 annual dining credit
- $100 NEXUS credit
- Unlimited Priority Pass lounge access
- Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
- Platinum Concierge
The American Express Platinum Card gives you access to more lounge networks than most cards, through the American Express Global Lounge Collection. That includes Centurion Lounges, Plaza Premium lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Escape Lounges and Delta Sky Clubs when you fly Delta.
Until December 31, 2026, you’ll get unlimited visits to Priority Pass lounges for you and one guest, as well as Plaza Premium lounges and American Express Centurion Lounges for you, your spouse, and two children under the age of 21 or one travelling companion.
From January 1, 2027, you’ll get six complimentary visits a year each to Priority Pass and Plaza Premium lounges, and a guest’s visit counts as one of them. Each eligible supplementary cardholder gets two visits a year to each. Spend $20,000 on the card in a calendar year, and your visits are unlimited again for the rest of that year and all of the next. Centurion Lounges and the rest of the Global Lounge Collection stay unlimited.
The annual fee is $799, with a $200 annual travel credit and a $200 annual dining credit. From January 1, 2027, the Platinum Card stays our top lounge pick if you’ll spend $20,000 a year on it. It’s also our pick if you don’t rely on Priority Pass and Plaza Premium lounges.
Best for Air Canada Flyers
First-year value
$789
Annual fee: $599
• Earn 60,000 points upon spending $7,500 in the first 3 months
• Plus, earn 25,000 points upon spending $2,500 in month 13
Earning rates
Key perks
- Unlimited Maple Leaf Lounge access + 1 guest
- Priority check-in, boarding, and baggage handling for cardholder + up to 8 companions
- Free first checked bag for cardholder + up to 8 companions
- Priority airport services at YYZ
- 1,000 SQC per $5,000 spend toward Aeroplan Elite Status (up to 25,000 SQC/year)
- 10% Head Start toward Aeroplan Elite Status (starting 2027)
Annual fee: $599
• Earn 60,000 points upon spending $7,500 in the first 3 months
• Plus, earn 25,000 points upon spending $2,500 in month 13
Earning rates
Key perks
- Unlimited Maple Leaf Lounge access + 1 guest
- Priority check-in, boarding, and baggage handling for cardholder + up to 8 companions
- Free first checked bag for cardholder + up to 8 companions
- Priority airport services at YYZ
- 1,000 SQC per $5,000 spend toward Aeroplan Elite Status (up to 25,000 SQC/year)
- 10% Head Start toward Aeroplan Elite Status (starting 2027)
If you fly Air Canada, the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card gets you into Maple Leaf Lounges with one guest. Until January 11, 2027, that access covers Maple Leaf Lounges in North America, and the card includes a Priority Pass membership with paid visits.
From January 12, 2027, access extends to Maple Leaf Lounges and Air Canada Cafés worldwide, still with one guest (Air Canada Signature Suites are excluded). The card also adds up to six complimentary Priority Pass passes a year and eight passes a year at select Aspire lounges in Canada, plus a $200 Annual Dining Credit at participating restaurants on Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants list.
You’ll earn 3 Aeroplan points per dollar on Air Canada purchases, 2 points per dollar on dining and food delivery, and 1.25 points per dollar on most other purchases. The annual fee is $599 until your first annual fee billing date after January 12, 2027, when it becomes $799. If you rarely fly Air Canada, the passes alone won’t justify that fee.
Best Visa
First-year value
$701
Annual fee: $599
• Earn 20,000 points on first purchase
• Earn 30,000 points upon spending $12,000 in the first 6 months
• Earn 50,000 points on card anniversary upon spending $24,000 in the first 12 months
Earning rates
Key perks
- Unlimited Maple Leaf Lounge access + 1 guest
- 6 Visa Airport Companion lounge visits per year
- Priority check-in, boarding, and baggage handling for cardholder + up to 8 companions
- Priority security at Toronto Billy Bishop, Montreal, Ottawa
- Free first checked bag for cardholder + up to 8 companions
- 1,000 SQC per $5,000 spend toward Aeroplan Elite Status (up to 25,000 SQC/year)
Annual fee: $599
• Earn 20,000 points on first purchase
• Earn 30,000 points upon spending $12,000 in the first 6 months
• Earn 50,000 points on card anniversary upon spending $24,000 in the first 12 months
Earning rates
Key perks
- Unlimited Maple Leaf Lounge access + 1 guest
- 6 Visa Airport Companion lounge visits per year
- Priority check-in, boarding, and baggage handling for cardholder + up to 8 companions
- Priority security at Toronto Billy Bishop, Montreal, Ottawa
- Free first checked bag for cardholder + up to 8 companions
- 1,000 SQC per $5,000 spend toward Aeroplan Elite Status (up to 25,000 SQC/year)
The TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card pairs Maple Leaf Lounge access with passes for lounges well beyond Air Canada’s network. The primary cardholder and each additional cardholder get into Maple Leaf Lounges and Air Canada Cafés in North America with a same-day Air Canada or Star Alliance ticket. Until December 31, 2026, each can bring one guest.
From January 12, 2027, that access extends to Maple Leaf Lounges and Air Canada Cafés worldwide, with one guest. Every year, you also get six complimentary visits through the Visa Airport Companion Program, powered by DragonPass, at more than 1,200 lounges worldwide.
The annual fee is $599, or $699 from the first annual fee due on or after January 25, 2027. It’s a strong pick if you want Air Canada’s lounges and would rather carry a Visa than an American Express card.
Most Lounge Passes Without Amex
First-year value
$451
Annual fee: $599
• Earn 30,000 points upon spending $3,000 in the first 3 months
• Earn 30,000 points upon spending $20,000 in the first 6 months
• Plus, earn 20,000 points upon spending in month 13
Earning rates
Key perks
- No foreign transaction fees
- 10 Visa Airport Companion lounge visits per year
- Priority security at Toronto Billy Bishop, Montreal, Ottawa
- Visa RSVP Diamond at 60+ Sandman/Sutton hotels
- Troon Rewards Platinum (20% off at 150+ golf courses)
- $250 annual travel credit via Scene+ Travel
Annual fee: $599
• Earn 30,000 points upon spending $3,000 in the first 3 months
• Earn 30,000 points upon spending $20,000 in the first 6 months
• Plus, earn 20,000 points upon spending in month 13
Earning rates
Key perks
- No foreign transaction fees
- 10 Visa Airport Companion lounge visits per year
- Priority security at Toronto Billy Bishop, Montreal, Ottawa
- Visa RSVP Diamond at 60+ Sandman/Sutton hotels
- Troon Rewards Platinum (20% off at 150+ golf courses)
- $250 annual travel credit via Scene+ Travel
The Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card gives you 10 Visa Airport Companion lounge visits a year, the most passes of any card here outside American Express. They work at more than 1,200 lounges in the DragonPass network, so they’re useful wherever you fly.
The card also has no foreign transaction fees, a $250 annual travel credit and emergency medical coverage up to $5 million for trips of up to 31 days. You’ll earn 3 Scene+ points per dollar on travel and 2 points per dollar on dining and entertainment.
The annual fee is $599, or $449 with a Scotiabank Ultimate Package chequing account. You’ll need a personal income of $150,000, a household income of $200,000 or $400,000 in assets under management.
Best Mid-Fee
First-year value
$600
Annual fee: $150
• Earn 25,000 points upon spending $2,000 in the first 3 months
• Earn 10,000 points upon spending $40,000 in the first 12 months
Earning rates
Key perks
- No foreign transaction fees
- 6 Visa Airport Companion lounge visits per year
- Avis Preferred Plus (1 car-class upgrade)
- 10GB complimentary GigSky international data plan (valid 15 days)
- Get up to 10¢/L in value on fuel purchases at Shell stations°
- Until December 31, 2026, get an additional 3¢/L off at Shell when you pay with your linked card in select provinces and territories^
Annual fee: $150
• Earn 25,000 points upon spending $2,000 in the first 3 months
• Earn 10,000 points upon spending $40,000 in the first 12 months
Earning rates
Key perks
- No foreign transaction fees
- 6 Visa Airport Companion lounge visits per year
- Avis Preferred Plus (1 car-class upgrade)
- 10GB complimentary GigSky international data plan (valid 15 days)
- Get up to 10¢/L in value on fuel purchases at Shell stations°
- Until December 31, 2026, get an additional 3¢/L off at Shell when you pay with your linked card in select provinces and territories^
The Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite +* Card gives you six Visa Airport Companion lounge visits a year for a $150 annual fee. That’s enough for a few return trips a year, and the visits work at more than 1,200 lounges worldwide.
It also has no foreign transaction fees, so it’s a good card to carry abroad. You’ll earn 3 Scene+ points per dollar at Sobeys, Safeway, IGA and Foodland, and 2 points per dollar on other groceries, dining, entertainment and transit, on up to $50,000 a year across those categories.
Income requirements start at a personal income of $60,000 or a household income of $100,000. If you need more than six visits a year, the Passport Visa Infinite Privilege gives you 10.
Best Low-Fee
First-year value
$780
Annual fee: $120
• Earn 50,000 points upon spending $5,000 in the first 3 months
• Earn 10,000 points upon spending $30,000 in the first 12 months
Earning rates
Key perks
- 4 complimentary DragonPass lounge visits per year via Mastercard Travel Pass
- 10,000 Scene+ points Annual Lifestyle Credit
- Save up to 10¢/L at Shell when linked to a Shell Go+ account: 3¢/L off all fuel grades plus an additional 4¢/L off Shell V-Power® premium fuel. Plus up to 3 cents per litre in Scene+ points value.
- FlexiRoam: complimentary 3 GB global data roaming plan (once per calendar year)
- Exclusive access to Benefinder™, Tangerine's new digital tool to help you manage all your points and offers in one place.
Annual fee: $120
• Earn 50,000 points upon spending $5,000 in the first 3 months
• Earn 10,000 points upon spending $30,000 in the first 12 months
Earning rates
Key perks
- 4 complimentary DragonPass lounge visits per year via Mastercard Travel Pass
- 10,000 Scene+ points Annual Lifestyle Credit
- Save up to 10¢/L at Shell when linked to a Shell Go+ account: 3¢/L off all fuel grades plus an additional 4¢/L off Shell V-Power® premium fuel. Plus up to 3 cents per litre in Scene+ points value.
- FlexiRoam: complimentary 3 GB global data roaming plan (once per calendar year)
- Exclusive access to Benefinder™, Tangerine's new digital tool to help you manage all your points and offers in one place.
The Tangerine® Rewards World Elite®* Mastercard®* includes four complimentary lounge visits a year through Mastercard Travel Pass by DragonPass, for a $120 annual fee. Extra visits cost US$32 per person.
The four visits are shared by everyone on the account, and a guest uses one visit, so they go furthest for a solo traveller or a couple taking a trip or two a year. You’ll earn 1.5 Scene+ points per dollar in three spending categories you choose and 1 point per dollar on everything else.
The card also carries emergency medical coverage up to $5 million for the first 15 days of a trip if you’re under 65. You’ll need a personal income of $80,000, a household income of $150,000 or $400,000 in assets under management.
Best Business
First-year value
$1,914
Annual fee: $799
• Earn 90,000 points upon spending $15,000 in the first 3 months
• Plus, earn 40,000 points upon making a purchase between months 15 and 17
Earning rates
Key perks
- $200 annual travel credit
- $100 NEXUS credit
- Up to $200 annual Dell statement credit
- Up to $300 annual Indeed statement credit
- Up to $120 annual wireless services statement credit
- Unlimited Priority Pass lounge access
Annual fee: $799
• Earn 90,000 points upon spending $15,000 in the first 3 months
• Plus, earn 40,000 points upon making a purchase between months 15 and 17
Earning rates
Key perks
- $200 annual travel credit
- $100 NEXUS credit
- Up to $200 annual Dell statement credit
- Up to $300 annual Indeed statement credit
- Up to $120 annual wireless services statement credit
- Unlimited Priority Pass lounge access
The Business Platinum Card from American Express carries the same lounge access as the personal Platinum Card, through the American Express Global Lounge Collection. Until December 31, 2026, that includes unlimited Priority Pass, Plaza Premium and Centurion Lounge visits for the primary cardholder.
From January 1, 2027, you’ll get six complimentary visits a year each to Priority Pass and Plaza Premium lounges, and a guest’s visit counts as one of them. Each eligible supplementary cardholder gets two a year to each, and $20,000 in spending in a calendar year makes your visits unlimited again for the rest of that year and the next. Centurion Lounges and the rest of the collection stay unlimited.
You’ll earn 1.25 Membership Rewards points per dollar on everything, and the $799 annual fee comes with a $200 annual travel credit. It suits a business that travels often and puts its spending on one card.
Lounge Access Credit Cards: What You Need to Know
An airport lounge gives you a quieter place to wait, with free food and drinks, Wi-Fi and, at some airports, showers. You can pay at the door or earn access through airline status, but for most travellers, a credit card is the easiest way in.
Lounge perks on several of Canada’s premium cards change in January 2027. Our picks give the rules on both sides of those dates, so you can choose for the trips you’re planning.
Why get a credit card with lounge access?
Lounges are most useful when you’re waiting out a delay or a long connection. Instead of hunting for an outlet near a crowded gate, you get a seat, a meal and somewhere to work or rest. Some airports also have arrivals lounges, where you can freshen up after an overnight flight.
Paying as you go adds up. With a DragonPass membership through Mastercard Travel Pass, a visit costs US$32 per person, and the Priority Pass membership on the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card charges US$35 for each visit beyond any free passes. A card with complimentary visits covers those costs for you.
How do the lounge programs differ?
Each card gets you into one or more lounge networks, and they don’t overlap as much as you might expect:
- Priority Pass: a large independent network of airport lounges worldwide. In Canada, the American Express Platinum cards include it, and the Aeroplan Reserve cards add free passes from January 12, 2027.
- Plaza Premium: a lounge chain with locations in several Canadian airports. The American Express Platinum cards include it.
- DragonPass: the network behind the Visa Airport Companion Program on Visa Infinite cards, with more than 1,200 lounges, and behind Mastercard Travel Pass on some Mastercard cards. Cards usually include a set number of visits a year. Our comparison of Priority Pass and the Visa Airport Companion Program goes into the details.
- Maple Leaf Lounges: Air Canada’s own lounges, open to holders of premium Aeroplan cards who are flying Air Canada or a Star Alliance airline that day.
- American Express Global Lounge Collection: the Platinum cards’ umbrella. It includes Centurion Lounges, Plaza Premium, Priority Pass, Escape Lounges and Delta Sky Clubs when you fly Delta. Our guide to lounge access on the Platinum cards covers each one.
What should you look for in a lounge access credit card?
- Visits or unlimited access. Many cards give you a set number of visits a year, from four to 10 on our list. Premium cards give unlimited access to at least some lounges.
- How guests count. On some cards, a guest uses one of your visits. Four visits go a long way for a solo traveller, but less far for a family.
- Where you fly. If you fly Air Canada often, Maple Leaf Lounges matter most. If you fly a mix of airlines, a network like Priority Pass or DragonPass is more useful.
- Dated changes. The Platinum cards limit Priority Pass and Plaza Premium visits from January 1, 2027, and the premium Aeroplan cards open Maple Leaf Lounges worldwide from January 12, 2027.
What changes in 2027?
From January 1, 2027, the American Express Platinum Card and the Business Platinum Card from American Express include six complimentary visits a year each to Priority Pass and Plaza Premium lounges, and a guest’s visit counts as one of them. Spend $20,000 on the card in a calendar year, and those visits are unlimited again for the rest of that year and all of the next. Centurion Lounges and the rest of the Global Lounge Collection stay unlimited.
From January 12, 2027, the premium Aeroplan cards, including the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card and the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card, include Maple Leaf Lounges and Air Canada Cafés worldwide, not just in North America, with one guest. Their annual fees rise too: the Aeroplan Reserve’s to $799 from the first annual fee billing date after January 12, 2027, and the TD card’s to $699 from the first annual fee due on or after January 25, 2027.
What’s the optimal strategy for lounge access credit cards?
Start with the airline you fly most. If it’s Air Canada, a premium Aeroplan card gives you Maple Leaf Lounges every time you fly, and from January 12, 2027, at Air Canada’s lounges around the world. Choose the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card for its added Priority Pass passes and dining credit, or the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card if you’d rather carry a Visa.
If you fly a mix of airlines and spend heavily on one card, the American Express Platinum Card still covers the widest mix of lounges. From January 1, 2027, that holds if you’ll spend $20,000 a year on it. It also holds if you mostly use Centurion and the other lounges that stay unlimited.
If you travel a few times a year, you don’t need a premium card. The Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite +* Card gives you six visits for $150 a year, and the Tangerine® Rewards World Elite®* Mastercard®* gives you four for $120. For more passes without American Express, the Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card gives you 10.
Some travellers pair two cards: a premium Aeroplan card for Maple Leaf Lounges and a card with DragonPass visits for airports Air Canada doesn’t serve. For more options, see our picks for the best travel credit cards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some questions we frequently hear from readers about credit cards with lounge access.
Do guests use up my lounge visits?
On some cards, yes. With the Tangerine card, each guest uses one of your four visits. On the American Express Platinum cards from January 1, 2027, a guest’s Priority Pass or Plaza Premium visit counts as one of your six. Maple Leaf Lounge access on the premium Aeroplan cards includes one guest.
Can I use a Maple Leaf Lounge if I’m not flying Air Canada?
No. You need a same-day ticket on a departing Air Canada or Star Alliance flight.
How much does a lounge visit cost without a free pass?
Through Mastercard Travel Pass by DragonPass, a visit costs US$32 per person. The Priority Pass membership on the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card charges US$35 for each visit beyond any free passes. Prices can change.
Do supplementary cardholders get lounge access?
It depends on the card. On the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card, each additional cardholder gets Maple Leaf Lounge access of their own. On the American Express Platinum cards from January 1, 2027, each eligible supplementary cardholder gets two visits a year each to Priority Pass and Plaza Premium lounges. On the Tangerine card, everyone on the account shares the four visits.
Can I get lounge access with a WestJet credit card?
The WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercardǂ doesn’t include free visits, but you can trade its annual companion voucher for two lounge passes in a year you won’t use it. The card also includes a DragonPass membership through Mastercard Travel Pass, at US$32 a visit.
